Dragon’s Tooth - Member Hike

Hike Name:	Dragon’s Tooth
Country:	United States
State:	Virginia
Nearby Town:	Roanoke
Rating:
Directions:	From Roanoke, take I-581 N/US-220 N for approximately 5.4 miles to exit 1S on the left, and merge onto I-81 S. Travel approximately 2.6 miles, and take exit 141 for VA-419 toward VA-311. Turn left onto VA-419 N, and then after another 0.4 miles, turn right onto VA-311. After approximately 9.5 miles, the parking area for the trailhead will be on the left.
Total Hike Distance:	4.60 miles
Hike Difficulty:	Moderate
Permit Required:	No
Hike Type:	In & Out, Backtrack Hike
Hike Starts/Ends:	Trailhead Parking Area off VA-311
Trails Used:	Dragon’s Tooth and Appalachian Trails
Backcountry Campsites:	Yes
Backcountry Water Sources:	Streams
Management:	U.S. Forest Service
Contact Information:	George Washington and Jefferson National Forests Supervisor's Office 5162 Valleypointe Parkway Roanoke, VA 24019 1-888-265-0019 540-265-5100 http://www.fs.usda.gov/main/gwj/home Eastern Divide Ranger District 110 South Park Avenue Blacksburg, VA 24060 540-552-4641
Best Season:	Spring, Summer, Fall
Users:	Hikers, Dogs
Road Conditions:	Primary Paved Roads
Hike Summary:	The Dragon’s Tooth is a distinctive rock outcropping, which protrudes approximately 35 feet above the top of Cove Mountain. The latter part of the trail leading up to the “Tooth” ascends through numerous sets of steep rocky “stairs” and ledges. Challenging, yes, but the uniqueness of the area at the top is well worth the climb. The trail to the top leads south out of the parking area for approximately a quarter mile before arriving at an intersection with a small connector trail that leads to the Appalachian Trail. Either trail can be used since they both eventually converge again. However, for this particular hike, we took the blue blazed Dragon’s Tooth trail to the right. The first mile and a half or so of this section is a relatively easy climb through a mostly deciduous forest. However, at the next intersection, which is with the aforementioned section of the white blazed Appalachian Trail, the hike continues to the right, and the real climbing begins. The remainder of the trail to the top, which is approximately one half to three quarters of a mile, is very rocky and steep. Once on top, it is a short one tenth of a mile hike to the left on a small spur trail off the Appalachian Trail to the “Tooth.” If you are feeling adventurous, there is a crevice on the back side of the “Tooth” that makes it possible to shimmy and scramble all the way to the top.